


Just a little longer

by Queerklancing



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Worried Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 21:53:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14411313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queerklancing/pseuds/Queerklancing
Summary: Lance should have run.Maybe then the lasers wouldn’t have hit the mountain behind him. Maybe then Keith wouldn’t have had to see how he was buried underneath it, a look of surprise on his face.But Lance didn’t run. Of course, he didn’t.So Keith runs.





	Just a little longer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [coralreefskim](https://archiveofourown.org/users/coralreefskim/gifts).



> I'm back again with something small! :D I wrote this little something based on a beautiful drawing my lovely friend [coralreefskim](https://coralreefskim.tumblr.com/) made :D (check out her art and fics, she's crazy talented!) She encouraged me to post it SO here I am haha :D This fic is just a teeeeeny tiny bit angsty, but not really LMAO You guys know me, I can't write anything that isn't fluffy ahaha :D Right now I'm working on a lot of things at the same time, so I'm happy I can post something small inbetween!
> 
>  **AND: Right now I'm hosting a fic giveaway on Tumblr for all my lovely readers!** I wanted to find a way to say thank you for all the love you guys send me! ;A; Seriously I still can't comprehend what happend with the last fic I posted it was INSANE!  <3 And since a LOT of you even get notifications whenever I post something (seriously how the heck do I deserve this!) I wanted to mention it here too! :D If you don't have a tumblr, and still want to participate then just write a comment here! :D
> 
> [Here is the giveaway post! :D](https://queerklancing.tumblr.com/post/173173210187/queerklancing-fanfiction-giveaway-okay-so-this)  
> 

* * *

Keith is running for his life. 

He’s stumbling over rocks and bits of debris, falls to his knees, probably scrapes them, but he doesn’t care. The world is a blur around him, sounds muffled and voices drowned out by the high ringing sound in his ear. He knows that people are screaming, and his eyes dart to the side when he sees another explosion in the distance, but he doesn’t care.

Because the only thing on his mind is Lance. Lance who stood directly where the galra cruiser appeared out of nowhere, Lance who lifted his bayard, futilely shooting at the overpowered machine.

Lance should have run.

Maybe then the lasers wouldn’t have hit the mountain behind him. Maybe then Keith wouldn’t have had to see how he was buried underneath it, a look of surprise on his face.

But Lance didn’t run. Of course, he didn’t.

So Keith runs; as fast as he can, but still not fast enough. He can hear his breathing, loud and erratic in his ears, only accompanied by his heavy heartbeat. He skitters to a halt in front of the rubble, dropping to his knees to pull at the stones. One by one. Way too slow. The static of the com only adds to the fuzziness of his thoughts, mocking him with the knowledge that he can’t even ask for help. That Lance’s life lies in his trembling hands.

He curses loudly, a scream ripping out of his throat as he hauls up a particular big stone. Suddenly he hears the clacking of pebbles, falling down - and then he sees Lance.

Keith doesn’t know if Lance shielded himself, or if he was just this lucky because he’s lying in a pocket, protected from being suffocated by stones.

But Lance isn’t moving.

There’s blood dripping from his temple, his helmet knocked off, a wide nasty gash that cut right through his chest plate.

Keith braces himself on a stone, panic seizing his heart, twisting his stomach.

Lance’s name is a dying breath on his tongue as he scrambles forward.

He knows he shouldn’t move Lance, so he picks up a few more rocks, throwing them over his shoulder to make room for him to sit. Finally, he pushes forward, falling to his knees next to Lance.

“Lance? Can you hear me?” he says, hands hovering over his lifeless body, shaking like a leave in a storm. “God, please don’t do this to me,” he croaks as he pulls off one glove and presses clammy fingers to the side of Lance’s neck.

There it is: Lance’s heartbeat, weak and fluttery under the tip of his fingers. Keith lets out a trembling sigh, leans closer and sees the miniscule movement of Lance’s chest rising and deflating in a steady rhythm.

Lance is breathing, his heart is beating – and he groans as his eyes slowly flutter open. Keith’s heart lurches into his throat, and he leans closer.

“Lance! Can you hear me?”

Lance’s eyes are hazy and unfocused, darting around until they find Keith’s.

“Keith?” His voice is small, rough and he winces as the word scrapes through his throat.

“Yeah! It’s me. Are you okay? Are you injured? Where does it hurt?” Keith asks, voice frantic, hands still hovering uselessly in the air above Lance.

“Everywhere,” Lance groans, eyebrows pinched together in pain, but he still tries to sit up.

“Don’t move!” Keith snaps, and Lance freezes. He flops back with another soft groan.

“Yeah, you’re right. Probably not a good idea.”

“Just … stay like this for now,” Keith says, and slowly his heart is finding back to a normal rhythm.

Lance is hurt, but alive. They will manage. Somehow.

Lance is still in pain though, if the twisted expression on his face is anything to go by. A heavy lump blocks Keith’s throat. He doesn’t know what to say.

“I’m- I’m sure the others will be here soon,” he croaks.

“Let’s hope so,” Lance answers, a soft smile on his lips and a tender look in his eyes. “Thanks for finding me.”

“Of course,” Keith says, voice breaking with emotions. He really wishes Hunk were here. Or Shiro. Or Pidge. Just anyone else, because he knows that Lance is scared, but he’s not good at reassuring people, or finding the right words, of offering comfort, but Lance is in pain and Keith is slowly starting to panic and –

“Hey, um,” Lance starts, gaze flitting to the side for a second. “Not to make this gay, but … would you hold my hand?”

He slowly lifts his right arm, trembling with the effort. There’s a strained and unsure smile on his face so unlike Lance that Keith’s heart aches in his chest.

“Of course!” Keith says, reaching out to grab Lance’s hand tightly with both of his.

And then Lance giggles, leaving Keith completely dumbfounded.

“Ouch,” Lance wheezes, but still keeps laughing.

“S-Stop laughing!”

“Then stop being adorable, idiot,” Lance chuckles.

“I’m not- You’re the idiot!”

“Are you really arguing with me while I’m dying?”

“You’re not-“

The word gets stuck in Keith’s throat as the reality of their situation weights in on his chest, suffocating him.

“Woah, hey hey hey. Keith, I’m gonna be fine,” Lance says suddenly, voice soft as he lifts his other hand with a wince, putting it on top of Keith’s.

“Why are you the one reassuring me?” Keith croaks.

“Because,” Lance says, eyes melting into a fond expression. “You look like you’re about to cry.”

Keith’s breath hitches in his throat. What kind of face is he making?

“I’m-“, Keith chokes out, but he can’t finish his sentence. What would he say anyway? That he was never this scared in his entire life? That the thought of losing Lance was impossible to bear?

Nothing would even come close to the cold punch of panic he felt when he saw how the world took Lance away from him.

So Keith slumps forward, folding into himself as he presses the back of Lance’s hand to his forehead.

“I’m just glad you’re alive,” he whispers.

It’s the truth, yet nowhere near enough – he wishes he could let Lance look into his heart.

Lance laughs again, softly but it still makes him cough.

“Well, I’m also glad I’m alive,” he chuckles, still joking even in a situation like this. “Because there are still things I have to do. Things I have to … say.”

Keith looks up, when Lance weakly squeezes his fingers. There’s something in his eyes, something Keith can’t quite decipher, but it makes his heart beat faster.

“I’ll save this for when I’m not struggling to breath though,” Lance jokes, taking in another rattling breath. Keith only grabs his hand tighter, leaning closer to feel Lance next to him. Warm and alive.

There are so many things he wants to say as well.

How much he misses the team. How lonely he really feels; that all he wants to do is come back home. The fact that his mind wanders to bright blue eyes whenever he has a second to think. And how he slowly started to realize what this heavy feeling pulling at his heart really means.

He doesn’t say any of it though, just slides his fingers between Lance’s and hopes that for now, it’s enough.

Lance’s lips curve into a small smile. A smile filled with so much warmth that Keith’s heart stumbles in his chest.

He closes his eyes, pressing their hands firmly against his forehead as he prays to whatever existence there is out there to let them be safe. Let them survive this, just a little longer. So he can someday find a way to express these feelings trapped in his chest.

“Look,” Lance whispers suddenly, and Keith’s shoulder sag in relief when he looks up as he hears the distant roar of a lion. “Rescue is on the way.”

 


End file.
